John Moreland Live: All Het Up, Tulsa Style
There are few performers who can justifiably be called electrifying, but the words and messages in the songs of Oklahoma’s John Moreland not only captivate on record—they go for the throat in live performance.
Such was the case at Austin’s Brazos Hall last month, when highly lauded singer-songwriter Moreland sat on a stool, guitar in hand, and while barely moving emoted with a vocal howl verging on the unforgettable. Still just 29, his background pure Southern Baptist, and a man who’s journeyed from playing hardcore punk as a teenager to the unforgettable musical sparseness of his upcoming High On Tulsa Heat, Moreland is a major talent.
He has been praised by an interesting cast of characters, including Rachel Maddow and whoever it is who places tunes on Sons Of Anarchy–for at least three Moreland tunes have appeared on its soundtrack—and more praise, lots of it, is likely to come with High On Tulsa Heat.
While he’s been making records for a few years now, first in a high school hardcore band dubbed Thirty Called Arson, then with his own Black Gold Band and the Dust Bowl Souls, Moreland’s journey of late appears to veer toward stripped-down, subtle recordings that allow the depth of such songs as “You Don’t Care For Me Enough To Cry.” It’s a smart move: the songs need no frilly accompaniment, and the man’s strengths as a vocalist and guitarist are could not be more evident in that context.
At South By Southwest, Moreland gave two highly memorable Up Close performances, then gave us a bit of background about his music, his life, and the inspiration that drives him. It was something to hear, it was something to see, and it’s something we suspect you’ll enjoy immensely.
